LANSING — Michigan's jobless rate inched down to 8.8 percent in November, after remaining at 9 percent since August.

It's the first monthly drop in the state unemployment rate since April, according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.

But total employment actually fell by 7,000 over the month while the number of unemployed dropped by 10,000. That means 17,000 fewer people are in the state workforce than in October.

The national unemployment rate was 7 percent in November, down from 7.3 percent in October.

Michigan's unemployment rate came in below the November 2012 rate of 9 percent. Since then the state’s labor force has grown by 1.4 percent, total employment increased by 1.6 percent and the number of unemployed dropped by about 1 percent.

The state has added 60,000 payroll jobs since November 2012, up 1.5 percent. Nationally, jobs increased 1.7 percent in the last year. Most of Michigan's job gains came from manufacturing, professional and business services, and trade, transportation and utilities.

"Michigan's labor market trends have been relatively stable since August," Michael Williams, acting director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, said in a statement. "However, job growth has been strong over the past year, particularly in high-wage sectors such as manufacturing, engineering services, accounting services, and information technology."